This was a short speech, prepared but not delivered. Both Houses of Parliament have now approved the Regulations. It remains to be see how they will work out in practice and whether the Human Fertility and Embryology Authority will be an effective and safe regulator: “I have received well over two dozen letters and emails…
Prof Chris Binnie’s most recent report is a result of the Environment Agency releasing some data on dissolved oxygen content in the river. Prof Binnie had to use FoI to obtain it, and only got a proportion of what he asked for. I sent this report to Lord de Mauley who responded that Prof Binnie’s…
I join with Baroness Murphy in welcoming the legalisation of clinical procedures to overcome the transmission of the dreadful mitochondrial disease. The Lords voted by a huge majority to allow the HFEA to consider treatment on a case-by-case basis, as envisaged in the 2008 Human Fertilisation & Embryology Act, and even by the wise Baroness…
The chamber of the House of Lords can be very intimidating, especially for newer Members trying to make a succinct point, when it is full to bursting at Questions. They can hardly be blamed if they refer carefully to notes when asking for information from Ministers. Yet, all too often, when they do this, some old stagers…
There’ll be two important votes today. One is the last attempt to control untraceable secondary ticketing sales before sporting events, a worthy aim but the amendment has been rejected by the Commons, probably because of the difficulties of implementing widespread control of rapacious sales. Then we shall come to the Regulations about the transfer of…
From Lord Berkeley Open letter to: Robert Goldsmith, Chief Executive, IOS Steamship Company Mark Hopwood, CEO First Great Western Andy Cooper, CEO Cross Country Trains Cllr Chris Thomas, Isles of Scilly Council Cllr Bert Biscoe, Cornwall Council Chris Pomfret, Chairman, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly LEP Patrick Hallgate, Network Rail 22 February 2015 Gentlemen,…
The average age of peers is 68….and a very nice age to be I can tell you. But very few of us have school age children and yet we keep school holidays in the House of Lords. Bizarre isn’t it? I thought at first it must be for the staff…considerably younger than us of course…
The people of South East Asia are among the most friendly, tolerant and hard working people in the world. Yet, this region has been plagued with conflicts for decades. Exploited by European powers, occupied by Japan, carpet-bombed by the USA and led by hideous dictators, most of the region has suffered too much…
Today, the Digital Skills Select Committee, of which I have been fortunate enough to be a member for the past year, published its report and recommendations. The everythingness of the digital opportunity is the fundamental point which we must get across: training or trade, schooling or skills, education, health or employment, digital will change it…
